Heroic Powers And A Not So Heroic Hero
by You are right . . . NOT
Summary: Right after the good ending of inFAMOUS: Second Son, Celestial, or Jaune Arc, moved to Vytal City to escape his past. He enrolled in college and has a home, so he should be good right? Unfortunately he has some anger/depression issues, and has a hero complex to save the city. Not to mention there are problems moving his way. But hey, with Jaune there, what could go wrong? Swearing
1. Chapter 1

I toyed idly with my mechanical pencil as the teacher finally finished the lesson. Oh thank the lord, between doing all the homework, working on my job as a mechanic (something I actually liked), singing, dancing, and playing chess (another enjoyable hobby), I had always liked to keep ahead of my lessons. Well ever since I had gotten out of that godforsaken prison that was in Seattle. I gripped the strap on my bad and pulled out a small box with a lid. I stared at the pills that I was supposed to eat.

I hated them and refused to eat them I always dumped one pill into the toilet, things weren't worth eating and stuck in my throat worse than a persistent cough.

So, I was fucking depressed, thanks for the obvious doc.

I'd like to see who wasn't after what I had to go through.

After my incarceration, all of the idiots (better known as the general public) demanded that that wrongly imprisoned were given shrink therapy, and just my luck I got the most over-worried doctor who had graced the face of the planet. I glanced up at the teacher who was glancing at me out of the corner of my eye. The staff had been informed of my depression, not of my other 'problem'.

Thank god for small mercies, last thing I needed was too be feared or revered.

I shoved the box into the bag and stalked out of the classroom as soon as the lesson ended. Maybe if I was lucky, I could get some fast food, lounge about at the shop, and finally get a decent night's rest without the nightmares. I kept my head down and walked quietly as people made their way through the halls. It was an art I had long since perfected ever since the fifth grade, moving and becoming invisible (metaphorically). No one notices you if you stick to the shadows and try not to make a lot of a ruckus such as new clothing trends and crap like that.

Seriously, jeans and t-shirts are always in fashion, who cares if it's a – and I quote – a totally new shade of pink.

Ugh, popular people.

I slid down the railing on the stairs, barely attracting a glance, and moved out the doors.

I took a breath of the rain-scented air and sighed in relief, free at la –

"JAUNE ELIAS ARC!"

Fuck.

Bloody. Buggering. FUCK.

I held no shame in my actions and sprinted like the devil was after me, might as well have been, at least then I could have a legitimate excuse to fight back.

But no, my monster is the school counselor, who is hell-bent on making sure I don't go even deeper into my depression. Not to mention she is my age – which does not help since she doesn't even know why I was incarcerated and what happened to me in there!

I would like to introduce (drumroll please!)…

Pyrrha Nikos.

Now, don't get me wrong. I didn't hate her, quite the opposite I thought she was some sort of reborn saint maybe even the second coming of Monty or Jesus. Hailed as a prodigy in her field, she was given honors and degrees in psychology in a university at the ripe old age of 17 (she was fucking 20 now, by god! Listening to people and their troubles for three years straight would have driven me insane, even before the goddamn arrest and depression). She was kind, patient and always willing to listen, she even went out of her way to seek me out and see if I was doing okay. Many of the boys were jealous, not that I cared, but they were a lot less mad about it once I had made clear to her (publicly) that I didn't want to talk.

Or interact.

Or anything really.

Let me stew in my depression, for god's sakes woman! What part of 'I don't want to drag you down with me' do you not understand? You have been on my case for months!

I had yelled that at her at the last encounter when she wanted to sit with me under the tree that was MY spot. I flipped, sure I felt bad, but I was justified.

I had stormed off after chucking my meager meal at the tree and yelling at her to leave me the fuck alone, I screamed she never would understand, and she could do a hell of a lot more good if she left me alone to die alone or some crap. She tried to interrupt, but I grabbed my bag, my half-finished soda and stormed into the parking lot before I jumped on my motorcycle and left. I had glanced back to see if she would try to follow, but she looked defeated and hurt. I ignored the twinge of regret and sorrow in my chest.

…

Don't give me that look, you would have snapped too, I have the patience of the freaking Buddha, but she was relentless.

Anyway, it wasn't too much of a shock to see a woman – some blonde – appear at my shop later demanding I apologize to her friend.

"Screw you." I answered.

That was the wrong answer to that.

Lord, I nearly died. The blonde was the gym teacher name Yang Xiao Long, fitting name seeing as she was nearly breathing fire as she screamed at me. She had been a terrifying fighter back when she still did the whole fighting gig, and had little to no qualms with beating up a boy or girl for any perceived offense. She threw a punch, but I was no newbie to combat, Curdun Cay had made damn sure of that. Regardless the lady beat me nearly to a pulp and left before I got angry enough to unleash my powers on her. She was more-or-less there to have literally carry me to Nikos so I could apologize.

That was a week ago.

Oh right, I had mentioned powers, well you might as well know, I doubt you could misunderstand.

I am a bio-terrorist…well Conduit actually, the whole bio-terrorist thing was scrapped when the Delsin Rowe guy took out the head bitch Augustine and free the other conduits from Curdun Cay. Many chose to stay in Seattle, but not me. My family refused to turn me in quietly, and my mother and father both died trying to keep the goddamned DUPs from getting me. I was a teenager (barely 13), but I still remember the shots, the screams, rough hands grabbing my arms and legs and dragging me from under the bed – I shook my head.

Not thinking about it.

Back to the present anyway, I doubt Pyrrha would be as nice as before, she even called my full name.

Pissed off women are a bitch to deal with. I would know.

I jumped on my trusty bike, she was a sleek, and black beauty I had found, fixed, and repainted all by myself (hold your applause, it was nothing). My dad was an engineer, and I had inherited his love of machinery. He taught me everything he could and then some, he was a great man. My mom…well she was the purest most beautiful being.

Ever.

I was half-convinced she was an honest-to-god angel.

Anyway, I revved the engine and shot off into the street, swerving and speeding and breaking at a few laws I am sure. As if I cared, no one would have messed with me, not with the powers I possessed. I made it to one of my favorite restaurants, The Aura's Gift.

'God knows what is up with the names of this town' I thought.

Then again I had hardly moved to Vytal City with good names for places in mind, I had just wanted to run and never turn back.

Crazy and as mismatched as the names were, this place was a popular joint. Hot good food, a drink if you were of age, a regular joint where you could lose yourself, if only for a few minutes. One of my personal gold stars was the chessboards in the back. In Curdun Cay, when we weren't honing our skills or powers, we would either weightlift, loiter, or play a few of the recreational games. I chose the last option, hell, strategy was practically my bitch. I would always see if there was a person who wanted to have a quick match, and would win. There were a few times when a fight would break out over a particularly humiliating loss, but The DUPs had us down before you could swear.

I ordered my regular – a small salad with a glass of icy cola – and cracked open my books and began on the homework for the next month, a few hours a day of slaving away at this and in a few days, I would be done for the entire month. My auto shop isn't the most grandiose or famous, but it'll do a damned decent job of repair at a fair price. Although business had been really slow as of late, whatever I managed, the government reparation check allowed me to literally buy the small plot of land that the shop was on the guy who sold it to me was old and gave it to me at a steal.

Hell, I had plenty left over. The old guy probably knew it too.

Died a week later, I attended his funeral and everything, it was the least I could do.

Anyway with this plot of the whole 'Augustine was protecting the conduits' jail plan busted, many of the jails the DUPs had made were releasing conduits back into society. Many were just happy to be back. Some were not. At least once a month, some pissed, little prick conduit would get it into his head that the city would be his, and he would be a king. The idiots were shut down before he could even control a block, one thing the DUPs were still good for. Then the shrinks would work him over and bada-bing bada-boom.

One freshly brainwashed Conduit ready to be a productive member of society, yay.

* * *

I walked outside and glared at the sky. It was raining buckets. I used to love the rain, half of me was happy the other half was less-than pleased. I was subjected to hundreds of experiments back in Curdun Cay, none of them pleasant. They shocked me, trying to force me to become an electric man like Cole Mcgrath, the first conduit God. They say he could level a city, fought monsters the size of skyscrapers, and even defeated a demonic conduit called The Beast. He apparently gave his life to cure a disease that was plaguing the human race. It was supposed that all conduits and humans with the conduit gene were killed, but lo and behold, here we are.

In a moment of utter insanity or lucky brilliance (depends on how you look at it), they injected me with rocks.

Fucking rocks, tried to make me like that bitch Augustine.

God knows why, but some guy decided to try pounding a meteor into dust and mixing it in my bloodstream.

Some different properties or some scientific BS I guess.

I swear the rush in that moment was like heroin, or cocaine, or some sort of drug that lit up the world.

I felt like I could lift mountains, break cities like toothpicks, I felt UNSTOPPABLE.

GOD-LIKE.

My powers were suddenly emerging like a storm. I was codenamed Celestial, because it was my source of power. Celestial bodies, the sun and moon, even the stars. It had clicked, after my awakening as a conduit, I felt weaker during rainy, overcast days, and I could barely use my starlight bolts. After some time of soaking in the sun or nighttime basking in the moon, I felt like I could go on a boxing match with the champs and not break a sweat. My body began to mass-produce the meteor substance in my blood stream, hence my quick healing and abilities to fight seemingly endlessly.

But alas, even I had my limits, I can't fight forever and the down side to my power, my charging takes time and is slightly slow, I usually can keep blasting out heavy attacks like a gattling gun but it becomes more strenuous as I keep doing it. All conduits – from neon conduits or smoke conduits, hell it was rumored McGrath wasn't exempt from that limitation – needed sources to charge from. Delsin 'The Smoker' Rowe needed to have some sort of smoke to charge his initial abilities at first as well. Despite my own little celestial energy charged bloodstream, my endurance is limited to what my body can take. If I run out of energy, I am screwed, a little sunbathing/moonbathing can heal me up, but I need to be uninterrupted.

But enough about that, I am going home.

* * *

I pulled into the garage of my little auto shop and checked to see if anyone had come by.

Nope. Go figure.

I sighed and dumped my bag under the heat-lights to let it dry out. I pulled my books out of the water proof bag I had placed them in.

What? Rain ruining my textbooks as a kid sucked, so sue me for planning ahead.

I flipped open my computer and began absently typing in the last few finishing touches on my homework. A few typed assignments and a bit of research wasn't hard for me to do. I hit the save for the last few files I had neglected to finish up at the AG (Aura's Gift) and leaned back on my couch. I checked my tools in case there was a late repair and headed into the basement to get a little more polishing in on my powers. My hands lit with radiant sunlight and starlight as I let the power flow through my body and soothe the ever-present irritation simmering under my skin.

"Okay so far, so good." I muttered.

I began to channel my energy into my hand and it sizzled for a second before it began to grow. I looked at the three foot bar of pure energy in my hand.

"Not bad, not bad at all…" I muttered, "But let's see what this puppy can do…"

I tried to restructure the energy into a sword. Delsin Rowe had used neon into a lightsaber or something, and his video powers gave him a freaking broadsword, so I tried applying that concept to the energy flowing out of my hand. The energy wavered and reshaped the edges becoming sharp and very stabby.

"Yippe for me then." I commented as I took a few practice swings.

Lighter than air, force of a super sword?

Sweet.

A few hit targets later and some starstorm movement later and I felt much better, I had discovered that when I don't use my power for long periods of time, I get jittery and fairly aggravated. Working out helped strain some of that excess feeling from me but nonetheless, it was like there was a prickly sensation that I could quite scratch running under my skin. It wasn't healthy for conduits to shut themselves off from their powers, hence me setting up a practice area in my basement.

* * *

Ah, weekends. God bless whoever made them.

I was lounging about on my couch in the morning, watching the news while I ate a few strips of bacon. It wasn't anything really substantial, a few new developments on Delsin working on kicking the DUPs out of Seattle, he was making progress, but then again I am not all that surprised. The guy had four major player powers to fight with, any of the cheap knockoff attacks the DUPs could throw were like flies that need swatting. Not to mention the entire DUPs enterprise was under vicious attack from the media and public. Families were separated because of lies, lives were lost, no one was happy about that.

I took a shower and put on my workshop suit, which is just a slightly ragged pair of jeans with a fresh wife-beater out of the wash and set up my toolbox. I wished I could have had a more productive way of using my powers, but the last thing I wanted to do was go gallivanting around like some vigilante, the DUPs weren't too picky on who to shoot; you were a conduit, you were going down. I opened my shop and stayed in my chair, only to wish I had taken a day off.

Pyrrha Nikos.

You would be surprised how goddamned persistent one person could be in getting her way.

"Good morning." She called out cheerfully.

The audible *crack* as my head slammed into my desk was the only response I deigned to give this woman.

Unruffled, she walked forward and sat down at the opposite side of my desk, staring at me intently.

Goddammit, I have to talk don't I?

"Why – in the name of all that is holy – are you here, Nikos?"

"Just here to see how you wer –"

"Good you're not here on something you need fixed, that means I can afford to be rude. Get out." I growled and motioned towards the door.

She frowned, and a spark of angry determination lit in her eyes, "I don't see why you're being such a child about this."

I sat up straight and glared at her, "You look here, Nikos" I spat, "I don't need your help, and even if I did need help, I wouldn't go to you if you were the only other person on the planet. As for the why, that is none of your business."

She blinked, the spark in her eyes dimmed.

'Okay,' I thought, 'time to drive it home.'

"You think I am a bad actor, Nikos? I could have played you like a fiddle and left with you being none the wiser. Hell, if I had known that you were going to be such an impossible and annoying bitch about this I would have acted as if I were okay."

I had barely finished and a hand whipped across my face.

Kinda shocking but it didn't even sting, so whatever.

Pyrrha stood up eyes flashing with anger, "Where do you get off calling me an impossible bitch? If anything, you are the one being impossible! I am trying to offer you some help, anything to make you feel happy, and you throw it right back in my face you, you –"

"Prick?" I offered mildly, raising an unimpressed eyebrow.

She gulped and flushed but nodded mutely, embarrassment and anger warring to be the dominant expression on her face.

"Wouldn't that be my choice? But on a more amusing note, I didn't know a catholic schoolgirl like you had it in you! You actually hit me, wow, I am shocked! I may just starting whipping out my heartfelt feelings and secrets!" I laughed sardonically.

"Shut up!"

I smirked, but continued, "You have been hounding me to talk to you for at least the better - or in my opinion worse – part of a year. You would've thought that a genius like yourself would have known when to cut your losses and just quit."

Pyrrha would have turned up her nose if she were that arrogant, "I don't quit, and frankly I don't think anyone is incapable of help."

I opened my mouth to respond when a shrill alarm sounded out from a speaker box in every building.

A recorded voice began to blare, "Please stay inside your homes, a conduit has been attacking people and the DUP have been sounded to dispatch and capture the Conduit."

I bit back a growl, those idiot DUPs were always more trigger happy nowadays, and with a conduit attacking the city, they would be painted in a good light no matter if they killed the poor bastard. The more this happened, the more the DUPs would still rise in the social class, might even get back what they lost. And then we might have someone who will definitely hate the Conduits and try to eliminate them, or something along those lines.

History will – invariably – repeat itself sooner or later.

I hate having the ability to see a strategy several steps down.

I knew stepping in would be the best bet, and as much as I didn't want to admit it, I cared what happened in this city.

I changed out of my 'working' clothes and changed into my jeans and a white shirt before I picked up a leather jacket with an eclipsed moon on the back (it was cliché but whatever) and finally tucking that under my arm. Pyrrha had seen fit to stay here and was closing down the doors. I snorted (the simple act would only hold back a person who just barely figured out how to be a conduit, it would barely slow a real conduit) and made my way out my front door as the gates closed only to have Pyrrha yank me back inside.

"Where the hell are you going?" she hissed.

"The thought of having to spend any amount of time with longer than I absolutely have to is torture enough. I am leaving." I said calmly, smirking.

She ignored the insult, "And what about the conduit?"

I threw up my hands, "What about the conduit? I die, I die. Besides it's not like he is actively looking for me."

Pyrrha opened her mouth but I beat her to it, "You stop pestering me right now and I'll agree to you sitting with me during lunch. Once."

She blinked and stood silent for a moment, her emerald eyes locked with mine. She pursed her lips and nodded.

"Be safe."

I rolled my eyes, "As if I need you to tell me that Nikos."

I walked briskly down the road and around the corner, I yanked the jacket on and pulled on the hood so no one could make out my features (hopefully).

I dissolved into a starstorm and raced over to the plume of smoke in the distance, I had a feeling this would be a big deal.


	2. Chapter 2

I arrived at the scene of the fight and closed my eyes letting the warmth of the sun seep into me and power me. My body almost hummed with power as the sun's rays began to waver and focus more on me, flowing into the palms of my hand. I breathed out a sigh and observed the scene. The DUP had already used their given conduit power and were still being blasted away from the troublemaking conduit. Whoever it was, was using ice and freezing the conduits solid and send a hail of ice down on them as they screamed and tried to defend themselves. I grumbled, moisture based abilities were troublesome, mostly due to their versatility.

Regardless I had a job to do and I was already here.

Might as well.

I dissolved into light and flashed over the where the hail of ice was coming from. I was met by a white-haired girl with her hair flowing like a tempest around her. She was dressed in a white hoodie over a pale blue shirt, and light blue jeans. Despite that she seemed unaffected by the sudden drop in temperature, but she was a conduit. She raised her hand as ice swirled around her and brought down a wave of ice knocking several people down and out. As she raised her hand again. I flashed behind her and caught her wrist before she could bring it down. She whipped her head around and tried to blast me with her other hand and I jumped back before knocking away a buckshot of ice with a wall of sunlight.

"Whoa, slow down there snow angel." I said calmly, smiling amiably, "We are all friends here."

"You're just another DUP peon!" she yelled as she fired a bolt of ice at me.

I almost choked on laughter as I blasted it away, "Me? A DUP dog? Snow Angel, you don't know how wrong you are!"

I raised a wall of light as the bullets pepper and flashed against it saving the girl from being shot multiple times.

"Do not call me snow angel!" She growled after regaining her wits.

We both ducked as a hail of heavier gunfire broke the thin wall of light tried to turn us into Swiss cheese. I threw a flash bang and then made another wall.

"For one thing," I said my hands glowing with light, "if I were part of the DUP squad, I would have taken you down. I could have sniped you in the head. I chose not to, plus they wouldn't have shot at me too."

She glared at me, her eyes a shade of sky blue – that in my opinion – made the sky jealous. Of course, I was no flirt, and besides, it be a shame if she died.

"Look, I am not any side here, but personally there is only one or two guys down there, you can get out of here. I have a place, you can stay there and I'll potshot that last guy if you promise not to blow my cover." I sighed.

Conduits should stick together, and frankly it would be nice to not have to act like I couldn't fight worth a damn around SOMEONE.

"Then do it, prove to me you aren't." She challenged.

I snorted and blasted the road full of sunbolts and starbolts, blowing up all the recording and cameras as well for good measure before blowing up the armored vehicles. The last DUP tried to shield himself with some concrete but was knocked out before the small outcropping was half-formed. Weiss shielded herself from the sheer wind blowing from the explosions, eyes wide and expression flabbergasted.

"After you, my fair lady." I quipped.

* * *

After getting far enough away and the DUP helicopters had flown over and ignored us, we began to walk back to my auto shop.

I had flipped down my hood and introduced myself, "I'm Jaune Arc. I run an auto shop and I am pretty much an all-around mechanic. I suppose there isn't much else that I can say."

The girl scoffed, "I am Weiss Schnee. Not that it matters, my father gave me to the DUPs after he found out I was a conduit, his public image was much more important to him and he could risk having a bio-terrorist for a daughter to smear his name. Mother tried to stop him, but she couldn't keep me there; she occasionally visited whenever she could, but..."

There was a quiet pain in her voice, and I sighed. It wasn't like people to throw out stuff about their family, but she must have wanted to tell someone. She looked lonely and even as she threw out her introduction, she had unconsciously squared her shoulders and curled in on herself.

"Mine are dead, they both loved me. At least your mom is around and loves you." I supplied.

She looked at me with a bit of shock, "M-my apologies, I-"

I waved her off, "I am telling you that because you're lucky. I would appreciate it if you didn't spread that, I already have a councilor trying to get me to open up."

She nodded and looked away, a comfortable silence descending. There were things you could say sometimes and things you couldn't. Saying something would have trivialized what I told her. She knew the pain of losing one parent, even if it was metaphorical. We made it to the shop and I mentally prepared myself.

"You need to brace yourself, I have a… 'Acquaintance'" I made air-quotes around the word, "– the councilor – came to check up on me when you decided to go power happy and attract the DUPs. She doesn't know I am a conduit, and I don't personally want her to know."

Weiss frowned, "Is she really that bad?"

Jaune gave her a deadpan stare, "Don't even get me started."

Weiss hid a smile as I pulled open the door.

Pyrrha was sitting on the couch, looking at the floor nervously, she glanced up and sighed in relief when she saw me. When she got up and spotted Weiss, she raised an eyebrow and looked at me in confusion.

"Jaune, is that your—"

"Nikos," I interrupted, "You even try to say girlfriend, and I will call the cops for you trespassing."

She frowned as Weiss spluttered in shock.

"I am not dating him!" she yelled.

I rolled my eyes.

"Then who are you?" Pyrrha inquired.

"An acquaintance's relative, needed a place and I volunteered, any questions?" I said without a hint of lying that could have been detected.

"Oh." Pyrrha seemed to subside at that.

"Now go." I commanded, "I know the deal, one lunch, now get out."

Pyrrha blinked but smiled brightly nonetheless, "See you later Jaune."

"Please hesitate to come back!" I responded.

* * *

Weiss sat on my couch, hands around a cup of coffee, and sipping daintily at it, "So why do you trust me so much, you realize I could be lying?"

I shrugged, "Snow angel" (Weiss bristled at the nickname) "I just don't get that vibe from you. I am fairly good at reading people, so that's that."

Weiss blinked, "You are a fool."

I shrugged, "You think I care if I am? What I am more interested in know is how you got caught up in that DUP nonsense, sanctimonious asses would have had their fun if you hadn't scared them off."

Weiss scowled, "I do not want to talk about it."

I looked at her for a long moment before shrugging, "Fine. I am not gonna push. But, I know the government reparation checks are a lot of money. And judging by your speech pattern and insults, you are obviously more refined that your common wrench-jockey like me. Pointing out that, your upbringing must have been of a higher class than mine which then points to big social circles, to which one would require a lot of money etcetera etcetera…"

Weiss mouth went slightly agape and blinked, 'He is much more astute than I gave him credit for…'

"Basically," I summarized, "You are loaded, so why were you dressed in a hoodie and jeans and walking around? Also, why agree to stay here at this less than fancy two story workshop?"

Weiss looked down, "I don't want my father to come for me."

I sighed, "I can't say I understand. I never had that sort of issue, shedding some light – not the whole story – just a bit of exposition would help."

She stared at her cup, probably looking at her reflection, "He would only use me as a political asset to show his open-mindedness for Conduits. I am not some sort of object and frankly I could not care less about him or his—"

I held up my hand, "Okay, okay, you're starting to frost the cup over."

She blinked and realized the coffee had become icy, "Sorry."

I sighed and took the cup using my powers to warm it and melt the ice, "No problem, you can have the bed, my place isn't five star, but it's decent."

Weiss sniffed, her icy demeanor had melted slightly, "You seriously need a decorator."

I scoffed, "Save it for the guy who cares."

* * *

I had a slide out mattress under my couch that was already fully equipped for sleeping, so my night was pretty good. I woke up and stretched before shuffling up the stairs and knocking on the door. Weiss had gone out and retrieved her bags after going to god knows where. She asked if it was okay and I assured her that the place was open. Weiss had turned out to be surprisingly self-sufficient and even offered to pay rent.

Well, money was a good thing, so I accepted.

"Oi, Weiss? You up?" I called.

The door opened after a minute of waiting, and a bleary-eyed Schnee glared at me.

I extrapolated she was NOT a morning person, "Now I am." She practically growled.

I raised an eyebrow, "Okay just wanted to say I was going to get ready for school, I have got classes and I am going to use the shower. Next time I could just use it without bothering you."

She sighed and scrubbed a hand over her face, "No, sorry I –"

I waved off her apology, "Whatever, not a morning person I assume?"

She shook her head.

"Right, well I am going to make breakfast in half an hour. Nothing too fancy, but it's edible and I can cook without lighting water on fire." I said, making my way down the hall.

I had anticipated that one day I MIGHT have a guest and planned the rooms accordingly. The closet was in the hall as well in the bathroom. To be honest it was a college dorm attached to a hallway, rather than a single room.

She nodded and closed the door.

I brushed my teeth and did a quick wash before getting out and changing. I made my way down the stairs and began cooking. Before Seattle had carried too many painful memories, I had worked in a diner for a bit, and while I already knew how to cook thanks to my mom, I did learn quite a bit from being a cook there. I finished cooking just as Weiss shuffled down the stairs, still stifling a yawn.

"You know considering how you were raised, I figured if nothing else you would be accustomed to getting up early. You look like you were practically forced out of bed by the bed itself." I snarked.

"I am not going to even respond –"

"You just did, too late." I cut her off.

She glared.

I chuckled and paced the plate in front of her before digging into my own. This was fun. I shouldered my bag and began to walk towards my bike before stopping.

"You may want to enroll in college, it would be a good experience, besides, and if nothing else there are a few food places that are nice eating spots." I said.

Weiss looked up from her plate, "I …will think about it." She allowed.

I nodded, "Just some food for thought," I replied, "Bye."

* * *

The moment I parked in the lot I was accosted by Yang Xiao Long. She had an angry sort of a feel about her and I mentally sighed.

You just had to get the attention of the one sociable who happened to be friends with a violent prone blonde, didn't you?

"I am only going to say this once, so you better listen." She said, "Pyrrha is a good person, and she told about the deal she managed to hash, I don't give a damn about your attitude to anyone else, but hurt Pyrrha and I will hurt you. Understand?"

I gave her a disinterested glance, "Right. Well trust me, unless I absolutely have to, I will be doing as much as I can to lose her interest. You won't have to worry."

"I better hear good things."

Yang glared, and I stared at her, eyes cold, "I don't give a damn what you hear, and don't threaten me. You try, and I swear I will hurl you THROUGH a wall."

Yang blinked and scowled, "You couldn't do that last time I kicked your ass."

I smiled chillingly and summoned all the frigid anger I could muster, "That's because killing is socially frowned upon. Trust me, Xiao Long. I am a very bad person to cross. You come to my place to punish me, I will not hold back, you got off incredibly lucky last time."

She leaned away infinitesimally and I counted that as win as I shoved past her.

* * *

I sat under my tree and bit down into the meager meal – a slice of cheese pizza and a soda – I had balanced on my lap. I had my headset on but it wasn't playing any music as I looked around and pulled out a book – The Heroes of Olympus – when I heard footsteps and sighed.

"Jaune? Can I sit here?" Pyrrha asked, I could hear the smile in her voice.

"Ugh. I am wishing otherwise, but we had a deal and discouraging you is like trying to stop a spewing fire-hydrant with your hands. Fine."

She sat down and unwrapped a sandwich and bit into it. She glanced at me as though expecting me to start a conversation. I sat silently and kept reading, occasionally taking a bit of my pizza or a sip of my soda. I turned my music on so that I could at least pretend that I was unable to hear her.

"So…Good book?" she asked tentatively.

"…"

"Jaune?"

"…"

She tapped my shoulder and I paused the song, "What, Nikos?"

"Good book?" she asked again.

I nodded and looked back towards it, listening to music again. She glanced at me and sighed unhappily. Just then, Yang sat down and slapped the book shut after plucking it from my hands.

"Hey!" I growled, "What are you doing here?"

"Simple." She said, "I am here to help you open up, despite how much of a jerk you are acting like."

She tossed the book at my chest and I caught it with one hand before glaring at Pyrrha, "You I made a deal with, not that."

Yang glared at me, "Asshole."

Pyrrha held her hand up to Yang, "Can we talk for a minute Yang?"

* * *

A minute later Pyrrha and Yang were far enough not to be overheard.

"What the hell are you doing Yang?!"

"Trying to help."

"You're not! The last time you tried to help me, you beat him up, that's not helping!" Pyrrha hissed.

"Well he obviously doesn't want to talk to you! I don't even get why the hell you can't leave him alone, he doesn't even remotely care to talk to you!" Yang countered.

"I have my reasons! Besides, he can't keep going being alone like that! It isn't healthy Yang."

"You smothering him is only going to make him bitter!"

"What would you do?"

"Leave him alone!"

"I can't do that!"

"Why not? It's not like you'll die if he doesn't accept your help!"

* * *

I looked at the obviously squabbling girls before sighing and packing up, I would never get a better moment to avoid those two. I got up and began to walk away when a hand grabbed my shoulder and began to haul me back.

"Whoa there, hold up there, where do you think you're going." Yang asked.

I shook of her shoulder, "I have got better ways to spend my time rather than watch you two argue. Besides, the deal is up and I am free, so bye."

I walked away and heard Pyrrha sullenly mutter, "This is your fault." To Yang.

* * *

Weiss blasted another target with ice and sat heavily on the floor before reaching for the tub of cold water that revitalized her. She was working out her frustrations when a Jaune interrupted.

"I see you wasted no time in finding a place to get mad and vent it out." Jaune remarked.

Weiss spun and saw him leaning against the doorway, a neutral expression on his face. He walked up and offered a bottle of water.

"I thought you were still at school." She said taking it.

He shrugged, "I have small classes not too much to do. I can leave whenever I want, I just hang around there."

Weiss shook her head, "You're insane."

Jaune smirked, "Not completely, but then again I let you in after knowing you for a grand total of about 15 to 20 minutes. And for all I know you could kill me in my sleep."

Weiss giggled after taking a sip of water, "Don't you care about your life?"

Jaune smiled hollowly, "Not really."

With that he walked out of the room leaving Weiss staring after him.


	3. Chapter 3

I yawned sleepily as I collapsed in my chair and kicked my legs up on my desk. Weiss was scratching a pen over a sheaf of papers and had her brow furrowed in concentration.

"What are you working so hard at? You aren't attending a college are you?" I mumbled.

"I will be soon." Was Weiss' reply.

That woke me up a bit.

"What?"

Weiss sniffed disapprovingly, "You can't possibly expect me to be an uneducated person such as yourself. Therefore I am enrolling in your college."

I panicked - for lack of a better word - when that was said, "Why are you going to a community college? There are plenty of Universities! Try Beacon! Why would you even WANT to go to Signal community college?"

Weiss sighed, "I haven't exactly been in the educational environment for sometime, while there was some basic education at the prison, none of it was satisfactory as the facility itself was more or less there to teach me how to harness and use my powers."

I would have pouted if I had been that type of person, "It still doesn't explain why you can't go to other community colleges in the area."

Weiss mumbled something that suspiciously sounded like 'idiot' before responding, "It would be prudent to have someone who knows his way around the school."

I threw up my hands, "That's not a legitimate reason! You can just get a map, besides I am either hated or ignored at that's school! It won't exactly be good for you or me to be socializing with each other!"

Weiss slammed her hands on the table, "Look, I have made up my mind and already finished the paperwork, whether you like it or not, I am going to your school."

I slapped a hand over my forehead, it was always me. You couldn't let me be could you, eh Monty? Well then again, I guess I brought this upon myself.

Dammit, I am going to need all the rest I can get for the shitstorm my life is about to become...

* * *

As predicted, my life started immediately to suck.

Weiss needled me into riding my bike (thank good god Monty I had a second helmet stashed in my building) and therefore we were obviously noticed.

There was pin-drop silence.

I mean seriously, it isn't that shocking is it...

...

...

Damn, I really am a jackass aren't I?

Eh, whatever.

* * *

"Jaune you cannot expect me to actually believe your day so far has been that bad."

"..."

"Jaune."

Weiss was trying to coax me into replying after I sat down under my tree and promptly put my hood over my face and lay against the rough bark. I had not had a good day so far and I was perfectly content to sleep throughout the lunch period and maybe for the hour before my classes started. Weiss of course would pester me until I answered so...

I straightened - albeit with a pained groan - and glared at the white-haired girl next to me, "Weiss, people have been asking me all day if you're my sister, can they date you, are we dating, how hot you are, and how much I am paying you to show up with me. Now, I deal with this most of the time, but with a literal half of the whole goddamn school on my case while the other half is jealous of you or sneering at me to somehow feel better about it, I am so fricking done. Oh by the way watch yourself, you may be a... special person with you abilities, but sometimes quantity can overcome quality, and there are morons aplenty in this school."

Weiss blinked, probably shocked at the venom in my tone, "They think we are dating?"

I threw up my hands, "Of everything I just said - EVERYTHING - that's what you decide to focus on?"

She scoffed at my warning, "I don't fear fools."

I glowered darkly at the huddle of people glancing at us nearby, "You should, we humans are idiots and foolish. We take what we want - and as sappy as this sounds - I don't want you hurt when they try to 'convince' you to date them or do something worse."

Weiss eyes widened in slight surprise but narrowed, "What do you mean?"

"I am more than willing to bet they carry tasers and the like in case they... Want someone." I replied, shrugging.

Weiss recoiled, visibly disgusted.

"This world is a cruel place, Weiss. It will chew you up and spit you out with out a sliver of remorse." I continued blandly.

* * *

I wished I could let loose some starbolts. I had expected this after a week or so, but seriously it had been two days of Weiss actually here. Oh wait that right, god fucking hates me. Three male students lounged around the route I usually took to get to my bike. Normally, I wouldn't have cared and moved past them, but they had been some of the more vocal about Weiss, not to mention they were glancing at me every few seconds.

"You got something to say to me?" I asked as I approached.

"Actually punk, we do." The tallest said.

"How'd you get such a hot chick like that ice princess to hang off your arm?"

As it turned out I barely needed to do anything as a water bottle flew by my head and clunked the guy in the head, specifically in his eye.

"You have surprisingly good aim." I commented, as Weiss stormed up.

The air chilled, and I mentally made a note to talk to her about getting her emotions and powers under better control.

"You would think I would hang off this idiot's arm?" She growled angrily.

I raised an eyebrow, "Oi. You realize I am right here, right?"

She didn't even twitch in my direction.

I sighed and scrubbed a hand over my face, why does this alway happen to me? I can't just kick Weiss out, that would be 'uncouth' as Weiss would say.

Whatever.

Dealing with these idiot street punks would help me keep on my toes or something like that. So I would deal with it, but it seemed Weiss had everything under control at the moment. I mean she just kicked one of the guys in the nuts.

Wait.

Where the hell did she get that metal pipe?

...oh my, that might've hurt...don't hit him there, that his - Oh lord.

Another mental note, make sure to erect barrier of energy if I piss Weiss off.

* * *

I decided to take the metal pipe with me (Was that really necessary? Now they are gonna be on your and my cases for the rest of their lives!), the less evidence there the better.

Weiss had brushed her hands off and simply told me to hurry up.

I was about ready to shoot myself.

I knew her for a week and she was already pissing me off.

Then as if that hadn't been bad enough, Nikos decided that she would do more house calls, of course I wasn't going to let her get one over on me after last time, so I locked the door.

Apparently she knew how to pick locks.

The more you know... *sigh* Bitch.

"How are you?"

"..."

"..."

"..." No, I will not answer... nope... Not gonna happen.

"Well? I don't have anything to do and the chair's comfortable."

Goddammit.

"Nikos, I am about this close, " I held my fingers about a millimeter apart, "to physically throwing you out, was the locked door not enough of a hint?"

She smirked, "I decided to play by your rules."

...

God.

Fucking.

Dammit.

"Oh, fuck me! What did I do in some sort of past life to have to deserve this shit?!" I ranted throwing my hands up in the air.

Pyrrha at least looked somewhat taken-back.

Jaune: 185; Nikos: 2

Still in the lead.

Weiss walked down the stairs and yelled, "Can you shut up? I am trying to get my work done!"

"You deal with that, " I pointed at the red-haired demon, "And try to not end up yelling!"

"Just tell her something! I don't have issues like you!"

"If it weren't for the frozen stick up your ass, I might actually agree!" I retorted.

I caught the thrown book at my head with one hand and tuned out the indignant screeching which felt like it was trying to claw my eardrums.

Pyrrha was stifling a laugh and I was ready to bring enough energy to level the block down on these two. Men dream that women are interested in them, especially beautiful ones, now I realized that they were freaking idiots.

Then again they were thinking of a different sort to interest.

By god this was torture.

* * *

I flopped gracelessly onto my couch and Weiss and Pyrrha talked.

Turns out they had a lot in common and now they were friends (or at least connecting and becoming something like that) which give her the legitimate excuse to come over and bother me. Of course, there is an opportunity to make some gain out of this...

I could just use Weiss to keep Pyrrha occupied. They actually seemed to be connecting and that would mean that I may not have to deal with her if this keeps up...

Win-win all around and across the board baby!

"Jaune."

I turned my head to glare at the red-head a glare, "What?"

"Me and Weiss are going to head out for food. You want to -"

"No. Go. Have fun, and don't do anything that you wouldn't want your mom to see, stay sober not drunk and for the love of god if you have to crash find a hotel, that last one applies to you Nikos." I said, smirking.

Weiss huffed and smacked me over the head, "Be decent!"

"Ow! What the hell Weiss?!"

They both left and I sat on my couch and flicked on the news, I needed to watch something mindless to help me recover brain cells.

* * *

I had actually found Pyrrha to be a personally bright and engaging person, not to mention her achievements were nothing to scoff at. what I didn't approve of was he persistence with Jaune.

"You honestly shouldn't waste your time on him, he doesn't seem all that inclined to talk. And that's leaving out the fact that he's a rude and insensitive 'd really would be better off leaving him alone." I said nonchalantly.

Pyrrha sighed, "I know that, but I can't give up on him. I know he is trying to get me to leave him alone and that he doesn't even want to talk, but he seems so lonely. I don't like it."

I frowned, "I know what you mean. He is lonely, but he doesn't want to let anyone in. He only let me stay with him because we have something in common."

"Which is...?" Pyrrha queried, eyes boring into me.

"The mutual acquaintance." I answered, waving my hand in a dismissive answer.

Pyrrha sighed, "Damn, I was hoping for something more that that."

I let out a sigh that she bought that, Jaune would have been severely hurt if I had given away his secret. Not to mention that I was a conduit too. People were still wary of conduits, for every person that was good there was always one that just as bad. I firmly believed in that philosophy, there was a balance in this world, for every ounce of good there was an ounce of bad. And despite Pyrrha's kind personality,she had never once mentioned her stance on conduits.

Pyrrha looked up and brightened, "Here! This is a good place, high class."

I was jolted out of my reverie and looked up at the sign for the restaurant, "Le Lotus En Fleur, I've eaten there before."

* * *

Jaune leaned back on the couch, flipping through channels mindlessly until he heard the word conduits float. He flipped back and saw a man with grey hair talking to the viewers.

"Here at Beacon University, we offer the full chance for anyone, be they Conduit or Human. We have full facilities and are able to fully sponsor any conduit who feels like they are intelligent enough to attend our academy." The man said.

Jaune had heard about Beacon Academy multiple times, especially in Curdun Cay. He found it uplifting that schools, especially prestigious universities, were still open to letting a conduit attend their school. He had settled for Signal simply because he hadn't been keen on burning through his money. he had been planning on transferring in once he had finished his two years. He was so close to being done, then he could finally apply for a major's degree in engineering. He turned the television off, there was no point dwelling on it until he came to bridge.

He got up. He was bored and the night was young. He could begin making a name for himself. He walk to his closet and pulled out a box. In the box was a mask he had made for himself. Colored white with a double crescent moon contained within a sun, the mask was simple yet secured with metal to not fall off the wearer's face. He lifted the mask and pressed it to his face, securing the metal clamps and put on the same clothing when he had gone to confront Weiss.

He wanted to go for a stroll.

He secured a radio - he had hired a jail-breaker to hack and adjust it to listen in on police news as well as other channels - to under his jacket to a strap he had wrapped around his shirt. He glanced in himself in the mirror. He pulled on some armored jeans and got up.

God he looked cliche.

Aw well, he could work on looks later.

He dissolved into moonlight and traveled to the roof of his building.

"Showtime."

* * *

Jaune had been having fun.

Almost too much fun.

It was refreshing to use his powers to this extent, trapping looters and blasting away muggers. Jaune idly wondered if this was how Rowe felt in Seattle. He ducked under a nameless punk that swung at him and twisted lashing out with a fierce kick that slammed him against the wall. Jaune swept up and gripped the man's collar.

"Word has it that there are a few drug lords that have been pedaling drugs." Jaune said quietly, voice cool and controlled, "And as luck would have it, you just happen to be the guy who spreads news around the streets."

"What's it to you asshole!" He choked out.

"I would like you to tell them that they need to stop."

"Like hell! Even if I could, I wouldn't!"

"Why not?"

"Being an informant requires crime, idiot." he sneered.

Jaune smiled, his hands glowed and the man's eyes bugged out, "You...You're a -"

Jaune tilted his head, "I suppose so, so here's what you're gonna say, either they find a more respectable job path, or they are gonna find a world of hurt slammed down on them, got it?"

"I - I..."

Jaune's fist lashed out and the man was thrown against the wall, gasping for breath.

"Tell them. Tell them Celestial is coming for them."

* * *

Weiss had been eating and enjoying, but they had been talking about Jaune.

Well to be utterly honest, Weiss wasn't expecting too much else.

Pyrrha was a kind woman, she just wanted to help, but she didn't understand. Even Weiss herself, didn't understand the kind of pain Jaune had gone through. She already used her powers with enough finesse to pass the process without testing, Jaune mentioned that he hadn't been so lucky. Weiss could have told Pyrrha her suspicions, but she wouldn't. Because Jaune trusted her.

He could have left her alone.

He didn't.

He could have given her the second-hand accommodations.

He didn't.

But Weiss did manage to steer the conversation around to conduits, so she would take what she could get. It was actually random. They were talking about their well off families, and from there the conversation went to how they used their money. Weiss grumbled about her family would try to find a way to mass produce the conduit gene, and the conversation went around to the current topic from there.

"So... how do you feel about Conduits?" Weiss asked

"What about Conduits?" Pyrrha answered back, voice sharp.

Weiss flinched and Pyrrha suddenly looked incredibly regretful.

Pyrrha sighed and looked down, "I don't like talking about Conduits..."

Weiss gaze sharpened slightly, "Why? do you hate them?"

Pyrrha's head snapped up, "No! No! It's not that at all!"

Weiss blinked, "Then why would you not have a problem with them?"

Pyrrha smile a brittle smile, "Who said I have a problem with them?"

Weiss eyes widened, the puzzle pieces coming together in her head, "Are you...?"

Pyrrha sighed and nodded mutely.

* * *

"So you're telling me there is a vigilante conduit in the city who protects other conduits and in addition uses his powers to fight common thugs and keep the city safe?"

"Yes, he is extremely well trained, he must have been in a facility for quite some time and leaned how to manipulate his powers with extreme versatility, this is just based off the salvaged recordings from a few days ago and the DUP agent's recollection."

"You also mentioned how he blew up the entire security cameras and video camera in the area?"

"Correct."

He leaned back in his chair, "Creative tactical thinking, now his accomplice and his own identity are safe..."

Ozpin leaned forward, "And you are sure he is in Signal community college?"

Glynda rolled her eyes, "Yes."

Ozpin smiled, then perhaps a test is in order, "Beacon would benefit from a powerful conduit. He seems to be the kind and responsible sort."

Glynda would have snorted had she been that undignified, "Hardly, his sarcastic banter and overconfidence was still voice recorded, he sounds juvenile at best."

"Hmm..." Ozpin hummed, "Never take anything at face value, Glynda."

Glynda sighed, arguing never persuaded him anyway, "Who are we sending?"

"Can you send Lie Ren and Nora Valkyrie to my office?" Ozpin said.


	4. Chapter 4

I frowned as I scanned the paper Pyrrha had thrust at me after accosting me in the hallways.

Now people were getting a show.

"Two people from Beacon are coming here to see if anyone is applicable for a scholarship and/or job offer? Why are you giving this to me?" I grumbled.

"You should see if they'll take you! You have good grades and you can choose a lot more venues of life!" Pyrrha said, walking next to me with the sheaf of papers.

I shrugged, "It doesn't really matter, I am - at the very most - content where I am, plus that seems more like a social call that isn't worth the effort."

Pyrrha sighed exasperatedly, "Can you for once actually strive to go far in life?"

I threw up my hands, "Seriously I thought we already had this conversation!"

While this was going on I had just passed a group of guys talking.

"You hear about that hero conduit running around called Celestial?"

"Damn straight! That guy kicks ass, takes names and protects! My sis was about to get mugged and the guy flashed straight in and beat the muggers to a pulp and left them tied down; nodded at her and left! She has been crushing on him though..."

"Hah, I saw him!"

"Like hell, how'd you catch a glimpse?!"

It had been about three weeks since I had started his nocturnal activities and I was already starting to actually make a difference. Crime had been going down and many of the illicit operations that had taken root in a city without proper law enforcement had began to fall apart with a new assault being waged on them. Nonetheless, I wasn't taking chances, I knew there was a very real probability of being attacked by conduit mercenaries.

It wasn't all that unexpected. People with powers knew that having them would make them a precious commodity and especially if some guys decided to hire them for assassinations or mercenary protection. While having powers did help in that regard, it was necessary for one to keep practicing, something I kept up with every day. Weiss often joined me and we would spar, not using powers the basement didn't have enough space for that, but I had taught Weiss a bit of hand-to-hand, just in case she couldn't use her powers.

Either way, I think I was getting soft. I could actually stand to be in Pyrrha's caring presence and hanging out with Weiss wasn't tedious, not that it really ever was, but I thought it would be. I still hadn't mentioned anything about my past and Pyrrha stopped asking after a while, realizing it just wasn't going to come to light till later (if at all). To be honest, when she wasn't a councilor, she was (god almighty I can't believe this) nice to be around. However, she seemed to be more cautious around me ever since she had that first dinner with Weiss, and although I don't know why, it refreshing to see her nervous for once.

I blew out a long drawn-out sigh, I think I need to toughen up again, and oddly enough, THAT sounded tiring.

"Jaune?"

I inwardly smirked, "I stopped paying attention a while back. What do you want?"

Pyrrha huffed, "You do this on purpose."

I shrugged and yawned before answering, "You tell me as if I care that you know."

Pyrrha threw up her hands, "Could at least pretend like you respect me and what I say?"

I already had pretended I had tuned her out, "Hm? Oh yeah. Sure."

She let out a frustrated noise and I was suddenly gritting my teeth to keep from laughing. I turned my head and saw a small, almost indiscernible smirk flit through her features before she turned her head away.

"What's got you so happy? I just insulted you!" I queried, my eyes widened as a thought hit my head, "You're not a masochist are you?!"

Everyone in the hall we were walking through stopped dead.

The shocked glare she sent at me was an answer in itself, but so amusing I couldn't help but laugh, "NO! WH-WHY WOULD YOU EVEN THINK THAT? I AM NOT A MASOCHIST!"

Silence prevailed in the hall and Pyrrha paled then blushed furiously. I burst out laughing and began pounding on the wall with my fist as I slid down it trying to keep from choking.

"GUAHAHAHAHAHAHAH!" I laughed, "You should see your face right now!"

She huffed and turned away from me.

"Nothing, just... I have been having a good time as of late." She answered, suppressing the blush rising on her face.

* * *

Pyrrha wasn't lying about that, she really had begun to enjoy spending time with Jaune. She could tell his grumbling had become less genuine every time she wanted to talk and she was thankful to Weiss to bringing about this change. She had always known that Jaune had a friendly side, and while it was dampened and more or less locked away by his past, she was ecstatic to be seeing it. Yang was still skeptical, but considering she and Jaune mixed as well as fire and water, it was only to be expected.

Weiss was turning out to be a great friend, if a bit tightly wound and somewhat spoiled. She seemed more comfortable around Jaune, despite how much she complained about him. Although... Pyrrha didn't believe either Jaune or her's excuse about why they were living together (Jaune probably didn't even HAVE acquaintances). She was just not the sort of person Jaune would interact with (though upon thinking about it, she still didn't really KNOW Jaune). Either way it didn't matter, she didn't need to think about that.

Just then the speakers blared, "All students, two scouting people from Beacon Academy are here! So show them your best behavior."

Jaune scowled.

* * *

I scowled.

"Really? They had no need to announce that!" I grumbled, I glared at the red-head next to me, "You had something to do with that didn't you!"

Her attempt (if it could even really be called that, pitiful as it was) at lying was ruined by the way her eyes didn't meet mine, "NO!"

I scoffed, "If that's you lying, you are so screwed."

"Oh shut up." she replied almost sulkily.

We walked in silence before a confused expression crossed her face, "Shouldn't you go to class?"

I smirked, "Don't have any today, I only have two classes per week."

Pyrrha gave me a confused look, "Then why aren't you at your building."

I gave her an annoyed look, "Who do you think would ferry Ms. Schnee from house to school without trying to drop some moves on her?"

Pyrrha smothered a snicker, "Did you actually just say that?"

I adopted a 'sagely' look, "Yeah, I knew it sounded weird...maybe I need to get more swag?"

Pyrrha facepalmed.

Still she smiled.

Right then we passed a guy my age with a pink strip in his hair and wearing a green polo and cream colored jeans. He looked asian and had fuchsia eyes. He was glancing around the halls and checking his watch looking a bit impatient. A prickling feeling of sensing power passed over my skin as we crossed paths and I stopped dead almost mid-step. That was...

No way...

He was a...

"A conduit...?" I whispered.

I could tell the man stopped dead and turned to see me frozen and Pyrrha looking at me curiously until her eyes widened as she scooted ever so slightly closer to me. Another prickling passed over my skin and I saw we were the only three people in the hall.

Which meant Pyrrha...?

Her hands were balled into white-knuckled fists and they were...

Glowing slightly with black almost smokey energy.

I snapped my gaze to her's and she caught my flabbergasted expression and she glanced at her hands. Her expression turned horrified for a brief moment. Then she turned and fled down the hall, hand over her mouth. My brain jumped into overdrive.

"Pyrrha? Wait!" I called, taking a step.

A gentle hand clasped my shoulder and I whirled, throwing a haymaker. Sure I maybe shouldn't have, but by god, Pyrrha was a conduit (which was totally unexpected) and so was the only other person in the hall (who I didn't even know), that automatically became catalogued as possible threats. Not to mention Pyrrha was one of the closest things I had to friend other than Weiss (ugh, just saying that gives me shivers [and not the good kind you perverted idiots]). The guy with the pink strip of hair looked shocked before he ducked and spun lashing out with kick with lightning reflexes. I expected that so I instantly flexed back as the foot shaved the air in front of me. I rolled back before fleeing down the hall after Pyrrha. I didn't have time to mess with him and I needed to catch Pyrrha. I felt like an idiot. I should have been able to tell even if Pyrrha had a tight clamp down on her powers.

I needed to get back into sensing other Conduits again.

"Hey you! Stop!" The guy yelled.

People glanced and probably saw the popular red-headed councilor distraught (I hoped she wasn't crying because that would cause me even more trouble), then me with a half-furious and half-confused expression, and some new kid running after me.

I swear my life was turning into some sort of cartoon.

* * *

Pyrrha bolted into her office and latched the door shut behind her. She slumped against the door and held her hands over her face.

"He knows...oh god he knows..." She mumbled in a terror-filled stupor.

She had worked so hard in hiding her powers, cutting herself off from even trying to use them at in public, she wasn't even picked up by the DUPs. Weiss had confided in her after Pyrrha told her, letting her know about her ice powers.

But now Jaune knew, and she didn't even know his stance on Conduits! What if he hated them? What he if he thought they were freaks? Weiss hadn't such much on whether or not Jaune knew she was a conduit or not. Pyrrha had just started becoming friends with him! He was warming up to her and joking lightly with her.

She didn't want to lose that!

When he stopped dead and muttered something, the person - Lie Ren (who just happened to be one of the inspectors from Beacon if she remembered correctly) - stopped and turned. his hand glowed with a slight pink energy and Pyrrha knew he was staring at Jaune. She didn't know what to do! She just reacted! He might have hurt Jaune! She had known about her powers and practiced in private just in case she really had no options left, but then Jaune saw...

Why was she so torn over that too?

He was just someone she was supposed to help. She meant to help everyone she could, she had worked hard for that express purpose, but even when she had failed in the past, it hadn't been as bad as this!

There was a knock at the door, "Pyrrha?"

She flinched, at Jaune's voice.

"I just want to talk."

"I know I should have told you." She started.

"Pyrr-"

"I mean, people still really don't like Conduits and..."

"Pyrrh-"

"I mean you might have been able to talk to me even a bit, but no-"

"Goddammit Nikos! Open the stupid door so I can talk to you face to face rather than listen to you blubber like an idiot!" He growled, "I just barely lost that pink-haired dude and if finds me again because of your angst and apologies I am going to kill you!"

She bit back a giggle at his annoyed tone, imagining his exasperated expression. She pulled the door open a crack and he immediately walked in, shutting the door behind him and locking it.

* * *

I turned to her and she looked at the ground immediately. Then I noticed the lounge chair/couch thing for psychiatric evaluations and the chairs.

"Wow you really have quite the shrink setup here."

She blinked, "That's the first thing you say?"

I shrugged before moving over to the lounge chair/couch, "That's how I feel when talking to Weiss, girl always focuses on the weirdest things. Frankly, I think she trying to avoid any elephants in the room."

Pyrrha wanted to ask what, but held back and asked about their own elephant in the room, "Enough about that, what about what happened in the hallway?"

I shrugged and smirked, "What about it?"

Pyrrha, "I am a conduit! Don't you think their weird?!"

"Hey! I am not weird!"

"I didn't call you weird!" Pyrrha said confused.

"Well I am a conduit too, so you kinda did." I said simply.

Pyrrha nearly choked, that was one hell of a loop throw to say so casually (I was dying of laughter on the inside).

"WHAT?!" she yelled.

I held out my hand which was suddenly covered in white and suncolored ethereal energy as i channeled my celestial energy, "I am a conduit, minted and trained at Curdun Cay."

Again with the loop throwing, god I need to do this more, it's hilarious to see her expression.

"You mean you were in Seattle?! During the whole Delsin Rowe debacle?!" She nearly shouted.

I sighed, "Yes and please quiet down, all that running will mean nothing if he finds me because of your overreactions."

Pyrrha seemed to take a moment to compose herself, "So you have been a conduit,went to the prison/training facility of Curdun Cay, and then came here."

I nodded, "More or less, yeah that's exactly what happened."

"Why not stay in Seattle?" Pyrrha queried.

My expression darkened, "I don't want to talk about it." I growled.

She hastily backpedaled, "Sorry, it's just... I want to know more about you..."

I raised an eyebrow, "Why it's not like I am a remarkable person I am as normal as normal can get, you know, with the whole conduit thing and whatnot."

Pyrrha flushed, "It's not like I really know either... I guess I am curious about you, every time I think you can't surprise me, you do."

I grinned in spite of myself, "I know, it's one of my more charming traits. So what do you say?"

Pyrrha pause and held out her hand, "Friends?"

I sighed, but clasped her hands nonetheless, "Fine, but I think you're pushing it."

"So..." Pyrrha began.

"So?"

"About the pink haired guy..." She asked, "What are you going to do?"

I leaned against the backrest, "Well, I can't just go and confront him like no one's business, I guess he will find me sooner or later, besides you're on his list too."

Pyrrha blinked, "What? How?"

"You are a conduit." I deadpanned, "If anything you should have been able deduce that beacon would specifically target Conduits to accept into the school. To be honest, I am not sure that I completely trust the stuff there. There are obviously many things that go on there that we don't know about and going there as students or teachers only allows us to be put under watch."

"Your very... cautious."

"You mean paranoid don't you?"

"..."

"I have my reasons, I have long since stopped believing in the 'good' of humanity." I said matter-of-factly, "No one would do it without some sort of ulterior motive, I know that much."

We both jumped as the door vibrated from the force of something hitting it.

"Jaune? Pyrrha? I know you're in here!" Weiss said.

"I knew I had forgotten something..." I grumbled, dammit I had to keep myself focused!

I unlocked the door and then she stormed in, although she cast a annoyed look before shutting the door and locking it.

"I am guessing you've met someone who pisses you off." I said, smirking at the glower she sent at me.

"Shut up."

"Was it some guy with black hair with a pink stripe in his bangs?" I queried.

"No," she answered, decidedly exasperated, "Some orange-haired girl. She was too excited and clung to me like we had known each other for years and were best friends!"

"Have you ever -" I was about to ask.

"No! I have never met her before in my life!" she snapped.

"Jeez, snow angel, you don't need to snap at me." I said leaning away.

"Could you stop with that damnable nickname!" She growled.

"I could, but I won't." I answered smugly.

Weiss 'humph'd and crossed her arms grouchily, "Anyway, she was a conduit."

Jaune blinked and leaned forward, "So was ours..."

"Yours?"

Jaune put a hand on his chin and stared distractedly at Pyrrha,

"Yeah, ours. Some pink-haired guy, seemed pretty strong. Oh that's right, did you know Pyrrha's a conduit? I was kinda shocked, I mean sure she a downright catholic schoolgirl personality..." Jaune said as he began to mumble indistinctly.

Pyrrha and Weiss stared at him as he mumbled into his hand.

Pyrrha leaned towards Weiss, "Does he do this often?"

"I wouldn't know he usually only when he trying to write on a subject he likes." Weiss blinked, "He found out you were a conduit?"

Pyrrha sighed, "Yeah, that recruiting officer from Beacon seemed to be powerful, so I didn't know whether or not he might attack. I panicked and my powers started to show a bit."

Jaune suddenly leaned in, "You know, we still don't know your abilities. Are you defensive-geared, offensive-geared, perhaps well-rounded?"

Both Pyrrha and Weiss jumped back in surprise.

"Hey!" Weiss said sharply, "Don't just jump in like that!"

Jaune raised a eyebrow and smiled, "Oh sorry, you know how bad I am with directions."

Pyrrha muffled her laughed, "You two are hysterical! You never act like this around others, especially you Jaune!"

Jaune paled and Pyrrha leaned in expectantly.

Jaune clicked his tongue and ran a hand through his hair in embarassment, "Tch, whatever."

There was knock at the the and two people came in.

"We're here with the student's info. We want them to join Beacon Academy." one said.

"Yeah! They seem awesome!" the other chirped.

One orange-haired boisterous girl.

One dark-haired boy with a pink strip of hair holding a sheaf of papers.


End file.
